2020 Nice > Lisbon

21 Day Itinerary

Day 1 - UK - Nice

Welcome to Nice, a fascinating city on the French Riviera and the sun-kissed capital of the Côte d’Azur. You will be transferred from the airport to your centrally located hotel, where a three-night stay is yours to enjoy.

Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2 - Nice

Today, the stunning seaside surrounds of the French Riviera are yours to explore with your local guide, before spending the afternoon exploring at leisure.
You will be taken to Monte Carlo for an insightful tour. Famously portrayed in films that include Never Say Never Again and To Catch a Thief, Monte Carlo offers much in the way of its charming past.
Witness the impressive Prince’s Palace of Monaco, originally a Genoese fortress with a dramatic past and the home of beloved actress Grace Kelly.EmeraldEXCURSION: A city tour of Monaco and Monte Carlo

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 3 - Nice

Nice has long held a reputation for its glamour, where sun-kissed beaches and lavish surrounds create a unique atmosphere that is unlike any other. Today, explore Nice at leisure. Your Emerald Waterways representative will be available to help you to plan your day in this vibrant city.DiscoverMORE: Visit to Saint Paul de Vence (extra expense)

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 4 - Nice - Arles

You will be met in Nice and transferred to your Emerald Waterways Star-Ship in Arles, where a warm welcome awaits from your captain and crew. Tonight, enjoy a welcome reception and dinner on board.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 5 - Arles

Revel in the glory of the Roman Empire today during an insightful visit to Arles, including the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Roman and Romanesque monuments of Arles and Arles Amphitheatre, a 2,000-year-old structure where spectators would have once gathered by the masses to watch superb chariot races.
Enjoy learning about the time that Vincent van Gogh spent in the city, taking inspiration from his surroundings and using them to create many of his most iconic pieces of art, including the “Starry Night Over the Rhône”, before exploring Arles at leisure.EmeraldPLUS: A Provençal dinner hosted by Chef Fabien MorrealeEmeraldEXCURSION: A guided tour of Arles with arena visitDiscoverMORE: Tour to Les Baux-de-Provence (extra expense)

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6 - Avignon

Avignon has a long and storied history, as this fortified town was once the residence of Popes who fled from Rome, hoping to escape from the political pressures of the Roman Empire.
Embark on a guided walking tour of Avignon to witness its illustrious past, including the ornate Gothic exterior of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Palais des Papes, built by the Popes over two decades. This afternoon is yours to explore at leisure, perhaps crossing the 12th-century Stone Bridge.EmeraldACTIVE: A canoeing excursion in AvignonEmeraldEXCURSION: A guided tour of AvignonDiscoverMORE: A guided tour to Pont du Gard (extra expense)DiscoverMORE: A classical concert in Avignon (extra expense)

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7 - Viviers

A snapshot of quintessential France awaits your arrival in Viviers, a town that perfectly encapsulates the medieval days of the region. Pastel coloured buildings that have been gently faded by the sun line narrow cobblestone streets, and the heart of the old town is yours to explore today during a guided walking tour.EmeraldEXCURSION: A guided tour of ViviersDiscoverMORE: A guided tour of Grignan (extra expense)

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8 - Tournon

As we sail down the gently twisting Rhône and into Tournon, a 16th-century castle sits overlooking the village and a pair of ancient watchtowers can be seen adorning the surrounding rural landscape.
Today, embark on a guided tour of Tournon to learn about its illustrious history and the culture of the people who call it home. If you would like to explore more of the region’s natural beauty, then you may instead choose to embark on an EmeraldACTIVE hike through some of the local vineyards.
Later, a guided bike tour to Glun will touch on the French countryside and the lives of the people who live there.EmeraldPLUS: A regional wine lecture on boardEmeraldACTIVE: A guided bike tour to GlunEmeraldACTIVE: A guided hike through the vineyardsEmeraldEXCURSION: A guided tour of Tournon

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9 - Lyon

As one of the largest cities in France and a former Roman capital, a lot of the most important moments in French history have taken place in Lyon. But, it’s Lyonnaise cuisine that has really put this city on the map, delighting gastronomists from around the world.
Join your local guide for a walking tour of Lyon, including the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Basilica Notre-Dame de Fourvière. If you are feeling more active, then you may instead choose to embark on a guided bike tour around Lyon, touching on its most prominent architectural wonders and moments from history.EmeraldACTIVE: A guided bike tour of LyonEmeraldEXCURSION: A guided tour of LyonDiscoverMORE: Visit to Pérouges (extra expense)

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10 - Chalon-sur-Saône – Beaune

The birthplace of photography and the centre of Burgundy’s wine region is yours to discover today as you travel by road to the quaint village of Beaune. Stop to visit the Hospices de Beaune, one of the best-preserved examples of 15th-century French architecture and home to one of the most popular wine auctions in the country.EmeraldPLUS: A cheese and olive tasting on boardEmeraldEXCURSION: Visit the Hospices de Beaune

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 11 - Lyon - Porto

After breakfast, you will be transferred from where your Star-Ship is docked in Lyon to Porto, where the second half of your river cruising adventure awaits.EmeraldPLUS: Cruising Through Porto Enchanting Waters

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 12 - Porto – Pinhão

Relax on board today and enjoy a full day of sailing through the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Douro Valley. This fascinating area was inscribed because it hones in on two millennia of wine producing history, where viticulture has shaped the surrounding landscape and small, sleepy villages are peppered with dozens of sun-drenched vineyards. Tonight, your captain will host a welcome dinner and cocktail reception.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 13 - Pinhão – Vega de Terrón

Begin your day with a visit to the beautiful Quinta do Tedo vineyard in the heart of Portugal’s Douro Valley, nestled on the confluence of the Douro and Tedo rivers. This 18th-century estate is environmentally sound, creating organic produce by using traditional viticulture methods.
Alternatively, enjoy a guided walk through local vineyards, stopping along the way to admire your surroundings.
This afternoon, enjoy sailing to Vega de Terrón, perhaps relaxing on the Sun Deck before your included Port wine cocktail demonstration or cooking demonstration on board.EmeraldPLUS: A Port wine cocktail lesson on boardEmeraldPLUS: A Portuguese cooking demonstration on boardEmeraldACTIVE: A guided walk through the vineyardsEmeraldEXCURSION: A visit to Quinta do Tedo with tasting

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 14 - Vega de Terrón – Salamanca

Founded in Roman times, the ancient city of Salamanca and its UNESCO World Heritage-listed old quarter have an illustrious past, having been held by the Carthaginians, Romans and Moors.
Travel to the beautiful golden city for a walking tour, starting among the postcard-worthy galleries and arcades that adorn Plaza Mayor. You will have the opportunity to see Casa de las Conchas, a building that has been lovingly decorated with more than 300 shells.EmeraldPLUS: Enjoy local entertainment from a tuna music bandEmeraldEXCURSION: A guided tour of Salamanca

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 15 - Pocinho – Régua

This morning, arrive in Pocinho where you’ll have the opportunity to embark on a canoeing excursion or to visit the Côa Valley Museum. Later, return to your ship for lunch and soak up your idyllic surrounds as you sail towards Régua, taking part in a casa painova tasting on board. A rural dinner at a wine estate is certain to be a highlight of your trip.EmeraldPLUS: A Casa Painova product tasting on boardEmeraldPLUS: A rural dinner with entertainment at Quinta da PachecaEmeraldACTIVE: A canoeing excursionEmeraldEXCURSION: A visit to the Côa Valley Museum

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 16 - Régua

Today, on an included excursion, you will visit the marvellous Baroque village of Lamego, stopping to see the picturesque Shrine of Our Lady of Remedies, a structure that stands gracefully over the townEmeraldPLUS: A mosaic tile painting lesson on boardEmeraldACTIVE: Walk down the steps of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of RemediesEmeraldEXCURSION: A guided tour of LamegoDiscoverMORE: A visit to Mateus Manor House with wine tasting (extra expense)

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 17 - Porto

Located at the mouth of the Douro River, Porto is a fascinating eclectic mix of modern and ancient architecture. Famous for its exports of Port wines, it’s easy to imagine how British merchant ships would have once clustered together in the medieval harbour, waiting to take Port wines across the water.
Your included tour of the coastal city will touch on the fortified structures of Castelo da Foz and Castelo do Queijo, a building whose pentagonal façades overlook the ocean.EmeraldACTIVE: A guided active walk in PortoEmeraldEXCURSION: A guided tour of PortoDiscoverMORE: An excursion to Guimarães (extra expense)

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 18 - Porto - Lisbon

After breakfast, disembark your Star-Ship and soak in your picturesque surroundings as we travel along the Atlantic coast. When you arrive in Lisbon, a three-night stay in a centrally located hotel will be yours to enjoy.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 19 - Lisbon

Today, join your local guide for a walking tour of Lisbon’s historic city centre, where a peaceful atmosphere can be found among tree-lined boulevards.
Enjoy a visit to Jerónimos Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site and one of the most prominent examples of late Gothic Manueline architecture in Portugal.EmeraldEXCURSION: A guided tour of Lisbon

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 20 - Lisbon

Lisbon is yours to explore at leisure today, perhaps indulging in some traditional cuisine or entering one of its many charming boutiques and museums. Your tour director will be available to help you plan your day of independent exploration.DiscoverMORE: Excursion to Sintra

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 21 - Lisbon

After breakfast, bid farewell to your fellow guests and be transferred to the airport for your onward or homebound flight, taking memories of sun-kissed Spanish streets and prehistoric carvings with you.